Escudero seeks transparency in ‘pork barrel’, posts on site where funds are spent

Senator Francis Escudero. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Francis Escudero wants all senators to be more transparent in the use of their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) more commonly known as “Pork Barrel”.

“As much as P200 million is given to each senator, in a span of six years, a senator can accumulate up to P1.2 billion,” Escudero said when asked during the first Philippine Daily Inquirer Senate Forum Wednesday whether he could live without his PDAF.

He said that he has  managed to continue his work as legislator even when his pork barrel was not released for several years under the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

What was more important was where the money was spent, Escudero said.

“We should ask [the senators] where did they put that P1.2 billion and are the people able to feel the effects of that money?” he said.

He said that his own PDAF was given to the local government units for regional hospitals as medical assistance.

Escudero also said that he has been uploading on his website how his PDAF was being spent for transparency.

For more on the ongoing forum, log on to https://www.inquirer.net/philippine-election-2013, on https://live.inquirer.net/?p=36; and on Facebook and Twitter.

Inquirer will hold two other fora on April 18 in Baguio and on April 26 in Cebu.

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